Never Too Late
by ObsidianFlames387
Summary: Based off the leaked photo of Aqua squaring off against Sora, and my interpretation of what happened. Aqua has finally fallen to the darkness of the Dark World and it takes the bright light of Good Boy Sora and friends to save her. But can she even be saved? Technically spoiler free! But I still advise caution.


"You're too late."

She said that to me. I felt despair like I've never felt before come in my heart. But it's weird. It not just my despair but the despair of so many others. Some known to me, like Riku for failing this person, and Kairi, the girl who was saved by this person. Others from having a friend fall so far such as Mickey, Donald and Goofy. Yet there were more. I could feel the emotions of her friends too. Of the others who care so deeply for her that their despair resonated inside me. And that's when I knew, I was just in time.

I smile softly at her. Riku would think me arrogant for this, but he had been trying so hard to help her. Kairi would know though. She knows me too well to think I was being anything but genuine. "I'm not too late." I wave my hands for Donald and Goofy to try and help free Riku and Mickey from some strange dome of darkness that covered the pair.

I stepped onto the water and she stared at me. I could feel her anguish and hate. This woman was so strong. I could see it. She held onto the bitter end and still I could feel deep in my heart that she was still holding on, that a small visage of light inside her struggled to stay in control. Her face would have been beautiful if not marred by the sins of those that failed her and left her in this foul nightmare realm.

"I am nothing but darkness now," She said to me. "You're too late, there is nothing to save."

"That's not true!" I feel myself yell out in more voices than just my own. "Even in the deepest darkness there is still a glimmer of light."

She took a step toward me, her eyes filled with hate. It felt like staring at Riku on the steps of Hollow Bastion all those years ago. I must admit, if I wasn't so focused on the need to free her from her darkness, I would be excited. Here was an actual keyblade master! I could learn so much from her. No…. I will learn from her! I just gotta save her first!

"You truly are a fool!" She jumps at me and with her magic speeds right at me. The keyblade she wields, one that seems familiar to me, clashes with the keyblade I found on Destiny Islands not too long ago. Her eyes widen momentarily at the sight of it.

"That's not the first time I've heard that one before!" I say with the biggest grin I could put on my face. With not a little effort, I push her back.

She skids across the water and stops, looking at me with those hate filled eyes. "You think you can save me?"

Think? Oh no. I will save you! "I don't think I can." I dash at her, bringing the keyblade around in an arc and smashing against a barrier she summoned to protect herself. The barrier shattered on impact with the blade, but slowed my strike enough for her to block my borrowed blade. "I know I will!"

"Hmph!" Back and forth we go, trading blows and magic. A connection. That's all I need. I need to find the connection between my heart and hers. A tiny spark and I can shatter the dark prison of her heart.

She's faster than me, but I'm stronger. Every blow that connects with my keyblade she has to pull back from, leaving her open for a counter. But her magic is much more controlled and far more powerful that mine.

"I guess it's no joke to be considered a keyblade master!" I say to her as I grasp at straws to find a connection. She merely glares as she sends a dozen or so shards of dark ice at me. I deflect away those that threaten me and roll under the rest. "Your friends would be proud!"

"Don't you dare mention my friends!" She screams at me as she appears before me. Oops is all I have time to think before I feel pain in my chest and I'm skidding over the surface of the water. I look up in time to see her summon a large ball of darkness. Uh… I'm in trouble. I weakly stumble to my feet as she launches it. It moved so fast and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I hold my arms out and prepare to take that hit.

A burst of light shines between us and takes the blast for me, sending me sliding across the water from the backlash of the explosion. The water is roiling beneath us and it's a struggle to stay above it. I look up to see who my would be savior was only to notice two keyblades hanging in the sky between us. She's stopped and just gapes at them, unsure what she's seeing. Their both damage and I even make out a few cracks along the blades of the keyblades.

I feel my heart instantly connect with the blades. I step forward and grab them in my hands. It's been a bit since I've dual-wielded keyblades, but I can do this! The one in my dominant hand gives me a name. _Terra_. In the other, I feel a name float out. _Ventus._ Hmm… i can feel these blades urge to help. I smile and then grin at the woman across from me.

She looks absolutely livid at me. She points her stolen keyblade at me. "Let them go!"

I brandish the blades at her, forcing light through them, repairing the damage and invigorating them, combining these two hearts with my own and feeling a surge of energy return to me in response. "I don't think so! These two gave everything so that I can have a chance to save you. I won't let their sacrifice be in vain."

She screamed at me and flew blade first at me. I block with my right hand and swing out with my left in a low strike. She moves to dodge only to find the larger blade in my right hand already heading toward her. A barrier appears at the last second but I just bring both keyblades down on it, shattering it.

"I will save you Aqua!" I yell and point both blades at her heart. Twin lights fire into her chest causing her to wince and scream.

"AAAGGGGHHHHAH!" I distantly hear her scream out, but already my conscious fades as I force my own heart into hers.

Darkness…. All I see is Darkness….

I thought I was still falling only to feel myself slowly stand.

_You're not worthy to be a Keyblade Master._

What? I look around as I try to find the voice.

_You will be trapped here for all eternity, doomed to watch as your loved ones fall one by one._

I see a tiny spec of white in the distance. I stumble slowly in the dark towards it. The voices seems to come from everywhere. Non-stop. Some of its jibberish. Most seem to be for her. Others are directed at me.

_Kairi…. Riku…. Goofy…. Donald…. How many more will fall because of your failings!_

I push forward ignoring it. This isn't my heart. I can feel my own heart blazing with Light. This… this is Aqua's heart!

_This is where a failure like me belongs._

I begin to run, ignoring the voices, the light seems to not be getting closer. "Aqua!" I shout her name with my heart, trying to reach.

_Not good enough…. Never good enough!_

I growl and roar. A deep belly roar like Simba and Beast showed me. I feel light course through me and shatter the darkness. "AQUA!"

_You shall only fail!_

I can still hear the whispers but the way is cleared. I'm standing at the edge of a shattered pillar and there is some stairs I can take to hers. I can see the pillar she's on shaking and crumbling. I run. I run like I've never run before.

_Darkness is truly where you belong._

I can finally see that I'm getting closer. I'm so close but then the worst happens. The pillar shatters. I jump hard and grab Aqua as she falls. She's so cold, her light is fading fast!

_Your too late!_

I growl and my foot and body kicks off the different platforms, jumping from falling pillar to falling pillar. I barely manage to make it back to the stairs with Aqua before the last of it falls into the distance.

_I've already failed…._

"Aqua!" I shake her gently, trying to rouse her. Soft blue eyes flutter behind eyelids.

"Wh-who are you…?" She stares at me, her eyes blank.

I smile gently at her, and let my light radiate in her. "I'm Sora, a pleasure to finally meet you!"

"S… Sora?" She blinks and I can see it's a struggle to stay awake. "Whe…. where are we…?"

I look around and give a shrug. "Not sure, I think it's your heart."

"Oh…" She stays silent and closes her eyes.

I wait a moment before gently shaking her again. "Aqua, you need to stay awake."

"Why…. it doesn't matter… I've been trying so hard…. And I'm so tired Sora…."

"Because…. I need your help…. And so do Ventus and Terra."

"Ventus…. Terra…."

"Yeah!" I smile as I see her eyes flutter open. "We need you Aqua. You have to wake up."

"Sora…" I see the life return to her eyes as she struggled within herself. I could visibly see the light slowly returning inside her. "It hurts…"

"I know." I say to her. "It won't be easy to wake up Aqua. But I am here for you. Your not alone anymore."

"I've been alone so long Sora…." Her eyes drooped again but she kept them open. "It really hurts…"

"I know Aqua." I keep smiling and I gently rub a hand through her hair. "But you have to."

"Will you be there… or is this another trick?" She looked so scared and frail.

"This is no trick Aqua. I just need you to give me a shot." I can feel the light growing as the two other hearts from the keyblade lent me their strength.

"Promise me…. Sora promise me…." She began to visibly shaking in my hands and She reached up to clench at my shirt.

""I promise you Aqua. I'm here to take you from this nightmare world." I smile gently and wipe the tears that formed from her eyes.

"Okay… I'll give it one more go Sora…. For you…. And Terra… and Ventus." She sniffed and looked up at me with scared eyes.

"That's all I ask Aqua…" I felt the light begin to fill her whole body once more and my vision of her faded.

The connection between us shattered in an explosion, I could hear Aqua's scream stop and I pushed against the blast wave as I rushed to get her. I grabbed her and sprang off the ground beneath the water, launching us both back to shore before the waves return and swallow us whole.

I landed gracefully holding her bridal style. Donald, Goofy, King Mickey and Riku were soaked head to toe in water and I cocked my head at Riku with a grin as he stared at me with slight annoyance. "Got her!"

"'Course you did ya show off," He said as he put his hands on his hips.

I look down at Aqua, I could visibly see the darkness sloughing off her. It felt cold and eerie as it passed through my hands on the way to the ground. Her hair became more of a vibrant blue I saw as our hearts connected. Her breathing leveled out slowly and her opened up her eyes to me.

"Sora…?" She said as she looked at me. I gave her a lopsided grin in return.

"Good morning, Master Aqua. Did you sleep well?" I said as casually as I could. I was riding cloud nine at the moment from managing to prove I wasn't too late.

"Mmph… I feel like I've been in a nightmare for…. God how old are you Sora?" Aqua said as she rubbed her eyes.

"'M 17." I said with a slightly smaller grin.

"It's been 11 years…" Aqua groaned and turned to Mickey. "Is Ven and Terra okay?"

"Actually… we need your help with that." King Mickey said as he smiled at the return of his friend. He looked so relieved. "But first, lets get you home. Okay?"

"Too home!" I say with a grin, pointing at the light in the distance from the shore.

Aqua gave me a soft smile before enveloping me in a hug. "Thanks for saving me Sora…. I thought… I thought it was too late…"

I smile and hug her back tightly. "Like I said, I knew I wasn't too late. You are so much stronger than the rest of us Aqua."

She tightened her hold, not wanting to let go. I pick her up gently and gesture for Riku and Mickey to open the way for us. I get the feeling Aqua isn't going to want to go anywhere for awhile. But she's here now and I'm not about to give up on her!

A/N:

I am currently playing through KH3 so keep your got dang spoilers to yourself damnit!

I actually refused to see anything about the game after seeing the first trailer. I wrote this bit based on seeing a single picture my jerkface brother sent me of a Darkness Inflicted Aqua squaring off against Sora. I wrote this about a week before KH3 dropped but I didn't have someone proof it till yesterday. ((Probably still has errors all things considered)) I honestly look forward to this as Aqua is one of my favorite characters after Sora in KH, but I'm not there yet. As of posting this I'm about 15 hours in on proud mode and at Pirates. So no spoilers from passed that!

I hope you enjoy my interpretation of their fight. I kinda get the feeling that Sora really does enjoy fighting and adventuring so the idea he would need to fight Aqua would get him excited.

I am also posting another story (A RWBY fpp one) That will have information for all my other stories.

Cheers!

ObsidianFlames


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